Improvement in machines for threading metal screws



BSheets-Sheetl.

H. S. LANSDELL. E FOR THREADING METAL SCREWS.

MACHIN 189,754.

Patented April 17, 1877.

N, PETERS. PNOTO LIHIOGRAPNER WASHINGTON. D c,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. S. LANSDELL. MACHINE FOR Til-READING METAL SCREWS.

No. 189,754. Patented April 17, 1877.

m6 W W.

Maze-was.

N4 PETERS, PHOTQ-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHXNGTQN. D G,

l l l l VINITEDFIZSTATES PATENT QFFIGE.

SJLANSDELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN A. KERNOGHAN, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

I'IlI IPROVE'MENT m MACHINES FOR THREADING METAL SCREWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. March ITO: all whom, it may 06mm.-

Be it known that I, HENRY S. LANSDELL, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of .New York, have invented certain Improvements in Machinery for Manufacturing Screws, of which the following is a full,'clear,fand exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming vpart of this specification. -I 1 This invention is more particularly designed for making metal screws having nicked or slotted heads, and it will be particularly described with reference to the manufacture of such screws; but it is also applicable, in part, to the manufacturefof other screws and to cut- ,ting screw-threads onthe ends of, rods.

The invention consists in variouslnovel constructions andcombinations of devices for feeding the screw-blanks, one by one, to a chuck which holds themwhile being screwed, the same feedin g devices being also applicable for feeding screws or blanks to the device which cuts the'slotsin their heads. .It also consists, in means forcentering the screw blanks or rods in'relation with the screwthread-cutting dies or -devices, and in means for controlling and operating said dies. In the application of'said invention to the manufacture of screws havingnicked or slotted heads, the: screw-blanks are introduced promiscuouslyinto an elevated basin or hop'- per, from which they are lifted bya rotating device and deposited-with their heads uppermost, in a slotted guide, which conveys them, one by one, and with their heads still uppermost, to a drop-tube, from the base of which they arevseparately .taken by a vibrating carrier and passed, shank foremost, in'line with asupply-tube, along which they are pushed lengthwise in. a series, and from which-they are projected, onefat. a time, by a plunger, into the chuck which holds them'while being screwed. A centering device or :tumbler is then brought to bear .upon the-point of the advanced and projecting screw-blank, to center it in the chuck relatively to the screwingdies, which, then being closed, are advanced to cut the required thread on the blank, suitable rotary motion being at the same time 189,754,- dated April 17, 1877 application tiled 2, 1 77.

communicated to the chuck or dies. The dies are then opened and the chuck is caused to liberate the screwed blank, which drops or is forced out by the action of the feeding-plunger upon the screw-blanks in the rear of it, and the dies subsequently retire. A similar feeding apparatus, having its details suitably or- 'ganized tor the purpose, may be used to conduct the screws or screw-blanks, head foremost, up to devices used for nicking the heads of the screws or screw-blanks, and for shaving said heads.

Figure 1 represents a partly sectional side view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention, and as applied to the feeding of screw-blanks to the dies which cut the thread thereon, to the centering of said blanks in relation with said dies, and to the operation of the dies. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, showing the screw-blank-eentering device or tumbler in its retired position, and the screwcutting dies as advanced and thrown open. Fig. 3 is a plan, in part, showing the centering-tumbler and screw-cutting dies. Fig. 4 is an interior side view of certain mechanism for operating the centering-tumbler. Figs. 5 and 6 are an under view and a longitudinal vertical section, respectively, of the screw-cuttin g dies. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section of the machine, mainly on the line a; at. Fig. 8 is a vertical section, in direction of the length of the machine, of certain means used to pass the screw-blanks, one by one, from the droptube of the feeder to the tube which conveys them to the chuck employed to hold them while the thread is being out upon their shanks.

A is a bed-plate, on which are erected side frames B and posts 0 for supporting the working parts of the machine. D is an elevated basin or hopper into which the screw-blanks to be operated on are thrown or fed. E is a rotating screw-blank lifter fast upon an oper ating shaft, b, arranged to work within the basin A. Said lifter is of a forked construction, being composed, for instance, of a series of duplicate radiating teeth or prongs, 0, arranged at a suitable distance apart to admit the bodies of the screw-blan ks d between them,

rection with a.groove or passage, to, which is.

covered by a hood, G, arranged above the upper end of the guide, and which communicates with an upright or drop tube, H. The teeth or forks c of the screw-blank lifter E are so shaped or constructed that when the upper edges of each pair successively come into line, or thereabout, with the upper end or edges of the grooved guide F, they assume an angle'thatwill cause the suspended screw-blanks to slide off them and into the groove 0, with their-heads on the upper end of the grooved guide, and so that they will slide down or along said guide, and said screw-blanks ul'timately be delivered, head uppermost, into the drop-tube H. The hood G over the upper end of the grooved guide F prevents any screwblanks which may have been raised by the lifter E in a crosswise position on each pair of forks c, or in any other position than that which causes them to be suspended between the'prongs by their heads, from passing into or uponthe grooved guide F, to interfere'with the proper action of the latter, and such hood Gfurther serving to cause said improperlylifted screw-blanks to fall back intothe basin D. If desired, a spring'having a hooked end may be fitted on the hood G, or be otherwise disposed, to prevent the passage of more than one screw-blank at a time into the grooved guide F, and also to insure such separate passage of the blanks.

As the screw-blanks are passed, as described, into the drop-tube H, with their heads uppermost, they fall, by their own weight, one after the other, to the bottom of said tube and from thence into a cavity, f, formed in the inner side or surface of a carrier, 1, and opening through the periphery thereof. This carrier receives the screw-blanks one by one, as it is required to keep up a supply of them to a chuck,- J, at the end of a supply tube, K, and to keep said tube always full, so that as one screw-blank enters the chuck another blank is deposited by the carrier in the tube leading to the chuck.

This carrier I consists of a sector shaped plate oscillating on a central pivot, 9, within the sector-shaped interior of a carrier-box, L, into which the lower end of the drop-tube H opens. The cavity f of this carrier is of proper form for a screw to drop into it from the drop-tube H in an upright position, when the said cavity is presented, by the oscillation of the carrier, directly under the said tube. The said cavity f opens into the back or upright inner face of the carrier, which works close to the back of the interior of the carrier-box L,

as shown in \Fig.:8,iand the screw or blank is therefore kept in "the said cavity during the oscillation of the carrier until the said cavity arrives with the screw or blank, in a horizontal position, opposite to a cavity, h, (see Fig. 8,) in (the lower part of ,the xbackof the box L, the said cavity having a downward inclination from the'in'teriorofthe box L, so that the screw or blank rolls down into it by its own weight, and is confi-ned ztherein by the carrier, when the latter is "turned back to put its cavity f in line again with the drop tube H. When the carrier I is turned to close the tube H and bring its cavityff in line with the cavity h in the box L, the supply of blanks d from the tube H is shut ofi'. In this way only one screw-blank can enter the carrier I at a time.

The carrier I is vibrated *backward and forward by means ofra toe, k, 'on said carrier, actuated by reciprocating devices, as 'hereinafter described, and 'by"a weighted lever, I, also attached to-said carrier.

After the screw-blank, during th'ewibration of the carrier 1, has passed into the cavity h in the boz; L, through which and-in line with said cavity there isa horizontal tubular passage, oommunicating with the tube K, that leads to the chuck .I, and which tube is con tained within a hollow revolving'mand-rel, N, a plunger, m,'operated by a sliding and *reciprocating mandrel, I0, "forces said blank through the tubular passage'in the box L into the tube K, which latter,"bysuccessive actions of the carrier I, becomes-filled with screwblanks, lying in regular order-one behind the other, with the points *foremost. At each forward movement of the plunger m one screwblank 01 will be forced into the chuck J. The same forward movement of the plunger m which forces the blank into the chuck J actuates the carrierI to close'the tube H,which supplies said carrier with blanks, one at a time, and the blank-receiving cavity'f in said carrier is, at the same time and by thesame motion of the carrier, brought-opposite the cavity h in the box L, thereby causing the screw-blank within the cavity f to fallinto 'the cavity h, and be deposited upon theru'pper surface of the plunger m. A backward motion of the mandrel O is then caused-t0 close the chuck, so that'it gripes .the foremost screw-blank on orimmediately in front of-its head, and the same backward mOblOlPOfliillG *mandrel 0 carries back the plunger m,rand allows the screwblank which was resting-upon it to fall into the tubular passage in the box L, leading to the tube K, and to assumeaposition ready.to be drivenforward by thenext forward motion of the plunger m.

The weighted lever on the carrier I actuates the vibratingcarrier I to bring its cavity f under the drop'tube H during the backward movement of the mandrel 0, when operating pressure or action is removed from the too '70 on said carrier.

The reciprocating mandrel O, or it may be n oved cackwar i il' ilet rcnty' the ce i points in proper pb ne by one, in succession,

. g threads thereon, it is 116 368531? that tlly should be truly centered inthe chuck, This.

ahy 'other equivaientee ice,tss scenten tctt adjustable "arm, @P, which H ties, the lcw'er 'arnt ef'a 'bel'letank-JQ. This *beltbi'ank Q moves on an adjn t 'bl axis, and toit's en with snitebl messs-cfe -pniiey. "The jrecipl'ocelt g the 33th "gel: ceneecte w" S, n "icnii's adjnstabl'ecn er I drel to adapt the plunger to dilfei'e'iit lengths 0t sctcwtian ks. The same arm, is, or sock t perti'onbf the s'aine es-"a liangwywhich may i and 'wm hfi ewcs, "neuter thc nanqotthc I, and d' iilert'o't n, so thatitscavityf I t intetall" e site the hlanacayit Win thejbex new with .the tube M, (preparatory to'its retu, the wei V1 ttb' r e e-cavity es enp r The slicing nianhte "or'i jrecitrecaten e r y, T may -'a'1so be we e t opening and ciosiirg t cf any-suitable "int-en) devicesfa's, ifor in stance, by a fork, wt, shnin-geene V, and bellorank levers 1----"that,,as,the mandr O is worked backward, operate upon a tnliearranged within the mandrel,an'd-provtd d with a female sliding cone, ytliich relieyes the spt'inggjaws otthe chnckJ "ofYt-h'eir g-fiping pr hp'ld'ingprcssnre-on wntfk; but these devices and the ccnstru tion ef the cnc-ckIfotm no "part of this i nventicnt Th's it will beseenthat the samenrotioh 0f the lVT T P et}. p by Th l 'ay likewise be Yrs-ea. tags-sate them them ready to be operated neon bythe'centefin'gI andthreac'c'uttingytieviicestt 4 1 SnchpreVious descriptionexplains the'mcde of bringing the blanks d, one byv ne, into the j chnckJ; but tetoresttidbianks 'can bct'uttnsr operated upon by the dies for cuttin' the iS'SeCuifed by a' -speci al centeringiievicewhicn is constructed as follows: Upon a fixed-block,

A, arranged to one 'side sot"'thechnc k J, is

' wanted by Pivot a e e pivoted tum.

bler or lever, B, having a centering-cavity, "b, at its one 'end' to receive the point of each t fin line witii the E, and to be rans,

blank its-shank is projected throng-h the check and beyond the face 'of the latter a s nffictent distance to peTmit the head of "said bian k being? gamed by the check. Theethei' and ti sail" fcenteiing-tum blet Bis tit-fined with a hat 'beat' ihg-s ntf ace,'c, by wh ten, as hereinafter "described, the tn'tnbl er B" is held fik'hily and rigidly in position v-hne'ascrewnd blank is being centered in and g'tip'ed'by the t 1y reyelve a ratchet-1 t the -sctew tlankj atter. instsanmow cpemticcef be mteted" by check. "The underside of the centering-tem- B" has a ciiived slot, w, in it. Theback et' ths block A is provided (see 4 with a longitudinal greove, '0', having Witlfi-n it "a pbihted switch, 1", pivoted in its-teat to the 00k A, and provided at its back with a need J'gn-idb, g; Arranged to reeiprccatc imp fiitii'dina'llyw-ithin or along and otltsi'de of the gtcoved block A is aslide,'U,"proVi-ded at its inner"ii'ace with a'piveted *l-cver catch, h, which mesa 's'tn'rlo'r pin, 1;, on its one side near its front end, When the slide =O' is moved forward in or along the groove 6 of the fixed block A", "the stud t slides on ancl along the upper serlace of the switch f, and causes the free end cf the lever-catch h to enter, thtongh an upper *openihg' in said slide, the curved slotd in the centering-tumbler B. This cau's'es said lever to turnbn its pivot at out of the way of the thread-cutting dies or tools, which will then be advancing to operate upon the screwblank in the chuck. When however, the

, {stud t" has ascended the switch f, (which "then forins arising incline,') and has passed along the guide 9, it slips off the latter, and so causes the lever-catch h to drop and (lis- *engage itself from the centering-tumbler B". A reverse or backward motion of the 'slideO then carries the stud *5 o f the lever-catch uhce'r' the guide g and pivoted switchf, which latter-then drops to its normal position. As the slideO completes its backward movement a projection, k, on it strikes the eentetingtiiinbler B, and turns it into position to Te- .c'e'ijve within itsicenteri-ng-cavity b an-ether sci'ewblenk under gripe of the chuck J.

"Oiitsi'de of the fixed block A is a fixed guard "01" projection, '1), between which and the block A the slide O rho'ves. This proj 'ection D is constructed with a flat or straight s'i'irtace on its inner side, againstwhich the flat'b'eafing-snrlace c of the centering-tumbier B rests, when "the latter is adjusted, as

described, to receive within it the point or shank .of the screw-blank held by the ch-lick. This lb'cks the centering-tumbler B" when turned or adjusted to center a screw-blank.

"The centel'ing=tnihbler Ban'd other portions of the centering appatatn's may be attached to and operated by and with the re- "vowing and sliding head of any scfew cutting machinemr it may be attached to any snitable lathe, and the slide bringingithe work into contact with the dies be operated by an independent lever or by and with any suitable device thereon. Said centering device or tumbler can also be used advantageously for centering the ends of rods 01' bars requiring screw-threads to be cut on their ends, also for determining the lengths of such bars or rods projecting beyond the hollow mandrel which carries them. It will suffice here, however, to describe it in connection with the devices shown in the drawingfor cutting threads upon screw-blanks or rods, and for releasing them expeditiously from the dies in which the threads have been cut.

E is a frame, in which the die-holders slide; and F, a die-carrying bed, arranged to slide within or through said frame. G G are the die-holders, which are attached to the bed F. These die-holders are each constructed to hold one-half of a divided or split die at their forward end and have each a semicircular recess, 1', formed at or near their centers. These semicircular recesses are surrounded by concentric lips or walls m, (see Figs. 5, 6,) which, in their turn are surrounded by semicircular grooves or channels n. Thus constructed, said die-holders G are bound together by a top-plate, H. constructed to project down withinthe semicircular recesses l, so as to form a central stud for the die-holders to turn upon, and being, furthermore, constructed with an annular rim or lip, 0, which projects down within the grooves n of the die-holders. A central stud, r, a set-screw, or other suitable means, serve to hold these devices in position on the bed F. The die-holders G G are fitted into the frame E, so as to hold them closed while the bed F is being-slid forward by a lever, I, until the thread has been out upon the screw blank held by the chuck J but when the desired length of thread has been cut, the die-holders G G will have been projected sufficiently far out or in front of the frame E to cause reduced portions s, formed on the outer edges of said holders, to be thrown outward by a spiral spring, u, which opens the dies, and so releases the screw-blank which has been threaded, and allows the die-holders to be carried back again. But, before the dieholders G G can be carried back again, a wedge, J, through which the lever 1 passes, is raised by said lever and forced between inclined surfaces at the rear ends of the dieholders, so as to close the forward ends of the die-holders. The slide 0, which operates the centering-tumbler B, is connected to the rear end of the sliding-die bed F, so that the same lever 1 controls the die-holders G G, the wedge J, and centering-tumbler B.

Instead of the frame E being made with parallel sides, as shown in the drawing, it may be formed with diverging sides, so that the die-holders will be gradually spread apart as they a e moved forward, to provide for cutting threads on tapering screw shanks or rods. Furthermore, instead of the sliding die-holders, hereinbefore described, there may be used, in connection with the screw-blank feeding and holding devices, what is known as a revolving turret-head, or a die which is stationary while cutting the screw, but which, after the screw has been cut, revolves at a greater speed than the screw does therein, so as to draw itself off the screw, or any other kind of screw-cutting die or screw-plate may be used.

When the screw or screw-blank feeding apparatus hereinbefore described is used in connection with devices for slotting or nicking and shaving the heads of said articles, the plunger m, that passes the blank or screw from the carrier I to the chuck J of the re, volving mandrel N, is reversed in its relation to the carrier 1, so as to feed the screws or blanks with their heads foremost. Centering and stopping devices, similar to those hereinbefore described, may be used to center and stop the screw or screw-blank when thus fed forward up to a nicking-saw, and to any suitable tool, for shaving the heads of saidscrews or screw-blanks.

It will be obyious that the apparatus for feeding and nicking andshaving the heads of the screws or screw-blanks may bedistinct from the apparatusfonfeedipg and cutting the threads in said screw-blanks, or such two apparatus may be connectedor arranged to work in regular consecutive relation--as, for instance, by arranging asecond basin or hopper, similar to the one,l u nder the chuckvJ of the blank-screw apparatus, so that as said blanks are delivered from the screwing apparatus they are conveyed -by gravity to the head nicking and shaving apparatus.

Instead of the different operations being controlled by hand or hand-levers, as hereinbefore described, they. may be efl'ected inregular consecutive relation, and automatically by steam or other like power, for which purpose various mechanical devices may be used, none of which it is necessary here to describe. I

I claim- I 1 1. The combination of the'rotating screwblank lifter E having a series of duplicate radiating teeth ;or prongs, c, with the basin and its hood G and grooved guide F, all con; structed and arranged-temperate in connec tion with the droptube, substantially as described. e

2. The combination-of the oscillating car.- rier I, constructed witha: cavity, f, for receiving the screw-blanks or screws in an upright or nearly upright position, and the carrierbox L, containinglthesaid carrier, and having a cavity, h, into which theblan ks or screws are delivered in a horizontal or nearlyhorizontal position, substantially as herein described.

3. The combinatiouof the plunger m, the supply-tube K to the chuck J, the box L, having a screw or blank-receiving cavity, h, and the screw or screw-blankcarrier I, essentially as described.

4. The combination ofthe sliding mandrel O, which carries the plunger m, the arm 1?, secured on said, mandrel, the bell-crank Q, and the rotating screw or screw-blank lifter E, whereby the movement of the said mandrel for forcing the blanks into the chuck is made to operate the said lifter, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination of the sliding mandrel O, the arm S, the bar we, and the toe k of the carrier I, essentially as described.

6. The combination, with the chuck J, which holds the work to be threaded, of a centeringtumbler, B, constructed to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

7. The combination, with mechanism for holding and threading the screw-blanks of the centering-tumbler B, substantially as herein described.

8. The combination of the slide 0, with the pivoted centering-tumbler B, the switch f, the fixed guide 9, and the lever-catch h, having a stud or pin, '6, essentially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

9. The combination of the fixed guard or projection D, with the pivoted centering-tumbler B constructed with a hearing or resting surface, 0, substantially as described.

10. The die-holders G G, in combination with the plate H, constructed to concentrically enter said die-holders, essentially as described.

11. The combination of the cone or wedge J with the pivoted or swinging die-holders G G, having reduced portions 8, and the frame E, in which said die-holders slide, substantially as specified.

HENRY S. LANSDELL. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN W. HOFFMAN, FRED. HAYNES. 

